The new manager’s desire to alter the style of play to a passing and possession-based gameplan has paid off but so too has his faith in a tight-knit, spirited dressing room. Having retained both Billy McKay and Graeme Shinnie in the transfer window, despite intense speculation to the contrary, was another big bonus for Meekings.

Meekings also credits John Hughes for building on Terry Butcher's strong foundations (Image: SNS Group / Sammy Turner)

The central defender said: “It was very important to keep both of them. It’s important to keep everybody here.

“Billy played such an important part last season with his goals and general play. Graeme, this season, has started with the captaincy.

“They are big players in our team but it’s an all-round effort. We kept everybody in the summer and that has really helped us.

“We don’t have any stars or big egos in the dressing room. We thrive on the underdog spirit and it is a collective effort.

“Everyone is together and it is never about individuals. We obviously have individuals doing special things on any given day but as a whole we work very hard.

“The manager has stuck with the team he inherited and it has been good for us – he has just added his own ideas to the mix.

“It’s working but we want to get better – it’s not settled. Hopefully we can progress rather than stay as we are.”

Asked if Caley Thistle – bright starters last season as well – could maintain it, Meekings said: “I think so. It is down to us.

“We just have to keep working hard on the training pitch and hopefully keep it going in the games each weekend.

“The aim is to stay as high as we can for as long as we can.

“Having this kind of start is not something I really thought about before the season started. We just wanted to make as good a start as we could.

“We’ve just been working hard on the manager’s new ideas and everyone has taken them on board. It’s showing on the pitch.

“At the moment, it’s all working really well. Hopefully that continues.

“What have we learned from last season? We just take it game by game. That’s our philosophy. The next one is the most important one.

“When you start the week on a Monday you are just looking to be best prepared for Saturday or a midweek match.

“So far so good but you don’t take it for granted. We started well last season and then the second half of the campaign proved tougher.

“It is always difficult to keep it going. We have small numbers here in the squad and that’s why it is critical to keep as fit as we can and recuperate in the international breaks. We need to put as many points on the board as early as we can.”

Keeping Billy McKay has been central to their fine start to the season (Image: SNS Group)

As for the clean-sheets record, Meekings credited SPFL Player of the Month Ross Draper for shielding a water-tight defence – and the vocal goalkeeper behind him.

He added: “It is very pleasing from our point of view. We go into games determined to concede as few as possible and it’s been very good so far.

“We do take a lot of pride in that. We have Dean Brill behind us shouting and screaming – he loves a clean sheet.

“We’ll just keep working hard, doing what we’re doing.

“Continuity of selection definitely helps. The communication between us as a back four has been very good so far. Ross Draper came in for the last game but that wasn’t a problem at all.

“He deserved Player of the Month. He’s a warrior in there – a big boy who battles so hard for the team.

“He has been a big part of it, breaking up attacks and getting our players on the ball.